08 HHR SS Auto Brake Issue Repair
04-20-2011, 09:38 PM
#11
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
I picked up my SS earlier today and the brake problem still isn't fixed. The car had been sitting for at least 5 hours when I got there so I tried showing a mechanic what it was doing. So I started it up and I told him the brakes also make an unusual noise if the brakes are pumped at start up, so I pumped the brakes and he heard the noise. Unfortunately I pumped the brakes too much and the brakes worked fine when i came to a stop. His explanation for the noise was that I hit the brakes too hard and all vehicles will do that. And the mechanic and service manager said that they have fixed other cars with that TSB and my car isn't experiencing the issue described in the TSB.
I also tried "Pump the brakes until the vacuum in the brake booster was gone, restart the car". This had no effect. Not sure if I was doing it wrong but I turned off the car and pumped the brakes until they got hard and could not be pumped any more, turned the car back on and the brakes were still working fine. Should I be doing this a different way? I plan on calling GM tomorrow after I get out of work to see if I can get them to basically tell a dealer to fix the issue.
I also tried "Pump the brakes until the vacuum in the brake booster was gone, restart the car". This had no effect. Not sure if I was doing it wrong but I turned off the car and pumped the brakes until they got hard and could not be pumped any more, turned the car back on and the brakes were still working fine. Should I be doing this a different way? I plan on calling GM tomorrow after I get out of work to see if I can get them to basically tell a dealer to fix the issue.
It also takes at least 8 hours for the vaccume to bleed off. I have yet to see a pre OE pump SS automatic to not have this issue. It was also common on the Solstice and Sky Automatic Turbo cars too. They too recieved the pumps.
04-21-2011, 11:27 AM
#12
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Join Date: 07-03-2008
Location: jerSSey, exit 5
Posts: 1,664
Definitely go to another dealer. The first one I went to tried jerking me around, so I went to another dealer and they fixed it after ordering the parts. They never asked me to reproduce the problem, and they used the TSB number to address the situation.
04-21-2011, 04:32 PM
#15
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
The fact is the car runs and performs better with the now OE pump installed. If you are under warranrty have it installed for free.
GM factory installed them for a reason on the later SS and not just because it made them feel good.
04-21-2011, 05:09 PM
#16
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Join Date: 07-01-2008
Location: San Antonio
Posts: 56
I filed a complaint on Chevy's website yesterday and just got a call from a rep who also says that TSB #09-05-22-001 doesn't apply to my 2008 HHR SS but they are going to have someone contact me either tomorrow or Monday. Why does GM seem to deny the existence of this issue?
04-21-2011, 08:43 PM
#17
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
Have they stated why it does not apply to your SS?
The TSB if I recall included all 08 and early 09 SS automatic transmissions.
Only mid year and later 09 SS and all manual tranny SS are exempted.
Here is what the TSB states.
#09-05-22-001: Hard Brake Pedal, Extra Effort Needed to Depress Brake Pedal on Cold Start-Up (Add Auxiliary Vacuum Pump) - (Jan 22, 2009)
Subject: Hard Brake Pedal, Extra Effort Needed to Depress Brake Pedal on Cold Start-up (Add Auxiliary Vacuum Pump)
Models: 2008-2009 Chevrolet HHR SS
Built Prior to January 2009 and Equipped with Automatic Transmission
I would assume that your SS was built prior to 1-09 since it is a 08. I would ask them why it states this and they claim it is excluded? would also send them here and ask why so many of us here with 08 SS built during the entire 08 model year have taken our cars to the dealer and had the issues fixed with no problem.
My dealer did not even have to reproduce the issues and they fixed it. I know what it was doing and they took me at my word. I have never has the issues since.
The TSB if I recall included all 08 and early 09 SS automatic transmissions.
Only mid year and later 09 SS and all manual tranny SS are exempted.
Here is what the TSB states.
#09-05-22-001: Hard Brake Pedal, Extra Effort Needed to Depress Brake Pedal on Cold Start-Up (Add Auxiliary Vacuum Pump) - (Jan 22, 2009)
Subject: Hard Brake Pedal, Extra Effort Needed to Depress Brake Pedal on Cold Start-up (Add Auxiliary Vacuum Pump)
Models: 2008-2009 Chevrolet HHR SS
Built Prior to January 2009 and Equipped with Automatic Transmission
I would assume that your SS was built prior to 1-09 since it is a 08. I would ask them why it states this and they claim it is excluded? would also send them here and ask why so many of us here with 08 SS built during the entire 08 model year have taken our cars to the dealer and had the issues fixed with no problem.
My dealer did not even have to reproduce the issues and they fixed it. I know what it was doing and they took me at my word. I have never has the issues since.
04-22-2011, 01:55 AM
#18
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Join Date: 01-13-2008
Location: Washington State, where it rains
Posts: 4,708
Dont you guys watch your vac gage on start up? Cold starts automatically spool up the turbo ( which is why its so loud..pull the cleaner and see) because of this there is practically no vacuum being produced..once it spools back then the gage drops back to normal, around 20 vac. The real question is why it bleeds down so fast other then the fact its a tiny booster.....
04-22-2011, 06:13 AM
#19
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Join Date: 07-05-2008
Location: Akron Ohio
Posts: 5,464
Dont you guys watch your vac gage on start up? Cold starts automatically spool up the turbo ( which is why its so loud..pull the cleaner and see) because of this there is practically no vacuum being produced..once it spools back then the gage drops back to normal, around 20 vac. The real question is why it bleeds down so fast other then the fact its a tiny booster.....
While most don't lose all their vaccume most will lose some and some may lose all. They just build it up as soon as the car starts and it is never an issue.
in this case it is just the LNF auto and the SS, Solstive and Sky turbo Auto matics that do this. The brake system is the same but the engine and tranny are what are different. GM has added the pump as the engine with the Auto just does not make enough vaccume. If it were just a leak they could have fixed it as it would have much cheaper. Also the others more than not would have the same issues.
04-22-2011, 06:42 AM
#20
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Join Date: 04-06-2010
Location: Pottstown, PA
Posts: 3,777
I had to take mine in the night before, drop it off and let it sit overnight before my dealer could "duplicate" the issue. Maybe you need to do that. I also stuck a note on the car saying do not move me till morning because of TSB #... causing this issue. It was my 3rd time in for them to fix the issue.